Plate heat exchanger



Jan. 21, 1935. PRESTAGE 2,028,562.

PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER Filed Aug. 28", 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATroR/vEy Jan. 21, 1936. E. Pi-QESTAGE 2,028,562

PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER Fil ed Aug. 28, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 2 ivrf/vra/P. m 1 M 0 M 9.5 @431,

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 21, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 28, 1935, Serial No. 38,250 In Great Britain May 25, 1934 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in heat exchange and pasteurizing apparatus and more particularly to the method of mounting a series of heat exchange plates to form a heat exchange unit of the type in which a nest of plates are adapted to be clamped together to form the separate channels for two streams of fluids, one stream being the heating or cooling medium and the other stream a liquid under heating or cooling treatment, such as milk or beer. It has hitherto been found impossible to mount the plates forming a heat exchange unit in such a way that the heat transmitting surfaces in contact with the stream of beer or milk or other liquid under treatment, are conveniently exposed for the cleaning operations essential in such apparatus, and without entirely emptying out the heating or cooling medium.

The present invention comprises a series of heat exchanger plates which when assembled form the heat exchange unit, in which the plates are respectively hinged at one edge or end to a supporting standard to allow of the plates being severally turned at an angle in relation to each other and their heat transmitting surfaces entirely exposed without dismounting the plates i from said standard' My invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 shows a side View of the heat exchanger and pasteurizing apparatus, with the end cover of the left hand heat exchange unit partly broken away,

Figure 2 shows a plan view of Figure 1,

Figure 3 shows a sectional side view on an enlarged scale ofa knuckle hinge joint connecting a plate with the standard, and

Figure 4 shows a plan view partly in section of a pair of knuckle hinge joints.

In the construction shown in the drawings the heat transmitting plates i are clamped by means of bolts 2 passing through bosses in the end covers 3, so that the heat exchanging unit of the apparatus forms a compact member with the necessary pipe connections for the circulation of the liquid to be cooled or heated and of the fluid medium by which the cooling or heating of the liquid is eiTected.

The plates and their end covers which together form the unit, are so hinged to a standard that each plate may be turned to any desired angle in relation to the adjacent plate convenient for cleaning purposes.

A preferred hinge construction is illustrated in the drawings in which said plates l and their end covers 3 are'respectively provided with hinge pins 5 connected to and forming a double joint with a corresponding row of hinge pins 6 mounted on a standard 1. Each hinge is thus provided with two hinge pins connected by a plate 8 and forms a knuckle joint so that when the plates are clamped together, any discrepancies in the centres of the hinge pin holes will not prevent the faces of the plates from coming flatly together. Inaddition these knuckle joints provide a greater latitude of movement and therefore an increased turning angle when the plates are opened apart for the cleaning operations. The weight of the plates on the hinge joints is conveniently carried by stainless steel washers 20 as shown in Figure 3. v

The plates I comprise a series of internal passages f or the steam, brine, or other fluid medium. Each plate I has two pipe connections l4 and Hi to the standard I for the circulation of the fluid medium. Each plate has on its exterior surfaces a series of baflles, so that when the plates are nested, the baflles of one are in contact with the bafiies of the adjacent plate to form channels for the beer or milk or other liquid under treatment. Within the standard I is the means for circulating the fluid medium through the pipe connections l4 and I6 and the interior of the plates I.

The pipe connections I4 for the circulation of the fluid mediums by which the cooling and heating of the milk, beer or other liquid is eiTected, are provided with flexible sections l6 suitably of rubber hose pipe, as shown in Figure 1, to allow of the plates and their end covers being opened apart to any desired angle in relation to their adjacent plates for the purpose of facilitating the cleaning of those surfaces of such plates or covers in contact with the milk or beer stream during the heating or cooling processes.

It should be understood that the heat exchanger plates may either be rectangular as shown, or square, round or any other suitable form and may be constructed in any manner which will allow of the plates being assembled on hinges to form a compact unit.

The operations of cooling or heating the liquid being treated, may be carried on in four independent units of the apparatus and each unit may be mounted separately on a different side of the four-sided standard or instead of four independent units two sectional units may be employed respectively mounted on opposite sides of the standard each said unit being divided into two sections for these operations. The apparatus shown in the drawings is of the latter form and is designed for treating milk. Two sections on each of two opposite sides of the standard are shown, said sections being separated by a hinged insulated plate 9. On the right hand side of the standard 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2, the section l0 may be the section in which the milk is pre-heated by water coming from the cooling unit. The milk passes from the section Ill to the section II on the other side of the insulated plate 9 where it is further heated to the desired temperature by hot water circulated from a water heater. On the left hand side of the standard 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2, the section [2 forms a cooler with cold water as the cooling medium. The milk passes from this section l2 to the section l3 on the other side of the insulated plate 9 which forms a milk cooler in which brine is circuited as the cooling medium.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for the interchange: of heat between two streams of fluids of the type in which the heating and cooling units are formed by nests of plates clamped together to form, separate channels for the two fluid streams, comprising a supporting standard, said plates in operative position being in contact with each other to form fluid channels; therebetween, a nest of heat exchange plates and their clamping covers, and means mounted at one edge of each plate for connecting it to said supporting standard to permit it to be turned at an angle in, relation to the other plates, whereby their heattransmitting surfaces may be; entirely exposed without dismounting the plates from said standard.

, 2. Apparatus for the interchange of. heat between two streams of fluids of the type in which the heating and cooling units are formed by nests of plates clamped together to form separate channels for the two fluid streams, comprising a supporting standard, said plates: in operative position being in. contact with each other to form fluid channels therebetween, a nest of heat exchange plates and their clamping covers, and knuckle hinge joints mounted at one edgeof each plate for connecting it. to said. supporting standard to permit it to be turned at an angle in relation to the other plates, whereby their heat-transmitting surfaces may be entirely exposed without dismounting the plates from said standard.

3. Apparatus for the interchange of heat between two streams of fluids of the type in which the heating and cooling units are formed by nests of plates clamped together to form separate channels for the two fluid streams comprising a supporting standard, said plates in operative position being in contact with each other to form fluid channels therebetween, a nest of heat exchange plates and their clamping covers, a hinge mounted at one edge of each plate for connecting it to said supporting standard to permit it to be turned at an angle in relation to the other plates, whereby their heat-transmitting surfaces may be entirely exposed without dismounting the plates from said standard, a pipe connection for the cooling or heating fluid leading from the standard to each hinged plate, and a flexible portion in each said pipe connection,

4. Apparatus for the interchange of heat between two streams of fluids of the type in which the heating and cooling units are formed by nests of plates clamped together to form separate channels for the two fluid streams, comprising a supporting standard, a pair of independent nests of heat exchange plates and their clamping covers, mounted on opposite sides of said supporting standard, said plates in operative position being in contact with each other to form fluid channels therebetween, and hinges mounted at one edge of each plate for connecting it to said supporting standard to permit it to be turned at an. angle in relation to the other plates, whereby their heat-transmitting surfaces may be entirely exposed without dismounting the plates from said standard.

5. Apparatus for the interchange of heat between two streams of fluids of the type in which the heating and cooling units are formed by nests of plates clamped together toform separate channels for the two fluid streams, comprising a supporting standard, a pair of inde pendent nests of heat exchange plates and their clamping plates mountedv on opposite sides of said supporting standard, insulated. plates dividing said nests of plates into a plurality of 'plate sections, and hinges mounted at one end or edge of said plates adapted to connect them to said supporting. standard and to allow of said plates being severally turned at an angle in relation. to each other and their heat transmitting surfaces entirely exposed without dismounting the plates from said standard.

EDWIN PRES'IAGE. 

